


You Can Never Go Back

by knitekat



Category: Primeval
Genre: Gen, Introspection
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-08-07
Updated: 2014-08-07
Packaged: 2018-02-12 05:40:49
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 490
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2097729
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/knitekat/pseuds/knitekat
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Emily muses on her life - before and after the anomaly.</p>
            </blockquote>





	You Can Never Go Back

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks go to Fredbassett for the beta.

Lady Emily Merchant had thought it would be so easy to return to her old life.

Oh, it had been hard, so very hard, to adapt to life with the tribe. She'd had to find shelter and prepare food herself, with no servants to call upon to perform those tasks for her. But she had learned and found something she hadn't known she was missing – the sense of accomplishment from a task well done. The feeling of being useful when the others looked to her to lead them. 

She’d even become accustomed in her short stay to the 21st century, with all its weird ways – those short skirts Jess had worn and everyone rushing. It had been refreshing to be in a time where woman were not dismissed, where Abby was respected by all the ARC personnel and Jess coordinated the field teams. 

But this, being back in her own time, this was harder. At Henry's side but invisible. Expected to be seen but not heard, to be a pretty accessory on his arm. To do what he said, when he said it. To not speak her mind, to not have her own thoughts. 

As she stood looking out the window, down into the smog-filled streets, Emily knew she should never have come home. It was just too different. For three years, she had been accepted as one of the group and now; she wasn't. 

The old Emily hadn't realised how stifling that had been. The Emily who had returned did. Henry might want – demand – she obey the decorum of the time, but Emily had seen, had done so much she just couldn't return to the role of a dutiful, obedient wife. 

As soon as she'd seen the articles in the newspapers about the savage murders, she had realised what must have killed them. She had even tried to tell Henry, but he had merely told her not to worry about such things and turned back to his fellows, dismissing Emily as if she was not even there. When she had tried again, telling him she knew what the killer was from the terrible injuries inflicted upon it's poor victims, Henry had firmly told her it was not a suitable topic of conversation for a lady – especially for his wife. 

Emily had understood he would never listen to her, just as she knew the killing would go on unless she stopped the creature. With Henry out most of the day, it was not hard to appropriate two knives and a heavy cloak and prowl the sites of the 'murders' searching for the beast.

Emily's first encounter with the raptor almost cost her her life but it also made her feel alive once more. Useful as something more than a mere ornament on Henry's arm. 

It was dangerous – and not just from the creatures – but she couldn't, wouldn't leave that creature to hunt in London's streets when she could stop it.


End file.
